Head of School Search

On January 8, 2019, the Shorecrest Board of Trustees announced that Mike Murphy, Shorecrest Headmaster since 2005, would retire as Head of School following the 2019-20 school year.

In a letter to the community, Board Chair Dennis Leary wrote, "A list of specific advancements on campus along with the student accolades that have followed is far too extensive to be shared here. Moreover, the tangible accomplishments, while important, are secondary to the embodiment of the Shorecrest core values (Responsibility, Respect, Integrity, Knowledge, Compassion) that Mike demonstrates each day. As a Trustee and now as Board Chair, I have had a unique vantage point to watch our Headmaster make countless difficult decisions over the last 14 years. Mike’s unwavering integrity and resolute character have been an example for the Shorecrest community as a whole to emulate. Mike and his amazing wife, Robin, have given themselves completely to our community and they will forever be an integral part of the Shorecrest family."

Trustees Elizabeth Samuelson and Beth Vivio will Co-chair the Search Committee. Contact them at headsearch@shorecrest.org with any questions or feedback.

List of 5 frequently asked questions.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for selecting and hiring Shorecrest's next Head of School. To facilitate the search process, the Board created a Search Committee that will recommend a Head of School candidate to the Board. The group includes a faculty member from each of the four schools at Shorecrest, and Trustees who are current parents, past parents and alumni. Recognizing that selecting our next leader is a critical milestone for the School, the Board has engaged Carney, Sandoe & Associates, a renowned search firm based in Boston, to serve as consultants to the Search Committee throughout the process. The consultants, who have participated in hundreds of national searches for independent schools, will assist the Search Committee in managing the search process from start to finish.

The Search Committee directs the search process from start to finish. They will coordinate input from Shorecrest's varied constituencies – both groups and individuals, work with the search firm to craft the Position Statement, sort through the initial round of candidates vetted by the search firm, and organize and conduct interviews with the semifinalists and finalists. At the end of the process, the Search Committee will present one broadly supported candidate to be confirmed by the Board of Trustees. Upon confirmation of the candidate, the Committee facilitates the leadership transition and integration into the School.

A major function of the Search Committee is to keep the Shorecrest community informed and engaged throughout the search process, while respecting the confidentiality of the candidate recruitment process.

Carney, Sandoe & Associates provides advice to the Search Committee concerning format, logistics, procedure, and best practices in the search process. In May 2019, the consultants will gather data from the online questionnaire and personal interviews to fully understand the Shorecrest culture. Then, working closely with the Search Committee, they will translate the School’s mission, philosophy, and objectives into a leadership profile. The consultants ensure that the Position Description includes the personal characteristics and style required for the new Head to “fit” effectively with the Shorecrest culture and values. Together with the Search Committee, CS&A interviews and checks references of all candidates before referring their credentials to the Search Committee for review. The consultants provide Committee members detailed interview questions custom-designed to probe whether candidates possess the specific leadership qualities identified as required by the school. They help structure interviews, visits, and reference checks to ensure that these meet the candidates’ and the Committee’s needs for information. The consultants also facilitate the flow of feedback between the candidates and the Search Committee.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for hiring the next Head of Shorecrest. Working closely with the Search Co-chairs, the Board assures a high level of congruence between the School’s mission, core values, challenges and opportunities for Shorecrest, and the desired candidate profile. The Board of Trustees will meet the finalist candidates in the fall of 2019, and acting on the recommendation of the Search Committee, will approve the appointment of the new Head of Shorecrest.